Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Foz do Iguaçu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Foz do Iguaçu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $741 in Foz do Iguaçu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,157 in Foz do Iguaçu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,572 in Foz do Iguaçu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Foz do Iguaçu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Foz do Iguaçu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Foz do Iguaçu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$5.37 R$27.30

11.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$35.70 R$182

-8.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$6.27 R$31.88

18.34%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.54 R$7.85

7.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.11 R$5.67

-3.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 R$1.89

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.11 R$5.63

54.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.67 R$13.61

19.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.79 R$4.00

32.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.29 R$6.58

1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.48 R$7.54

-9.46%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.42 R$12.31

-9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$7.40 R$37.67

-40.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.64 R$18.50

56.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.71 R$39.21

10.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.99 R$10.14

17.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.09 R$5.56

1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$0.92 R$4.66

65.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.06 R$5.39

29.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.87 R$4.42

32.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.98 R$4.97

20.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.77 R$3.94

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.73 R$3.73

17.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.63 R$13.40

-14.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$7.75 R$39.44

49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.70 R$8.66

-29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.68 R$13.64

-7.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.88 R$4.47

-10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$38.27 R$195

6.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.09 R$5.57

34.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.76 R$3.89

152.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$6.52 R$33.15

19.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.99 R$5.05

2.02%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$20.3K R$103.3K

-13.04%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$27.7K R$140.9K

-4.49%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$64.5 R$328

25.66%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$17.18 R$87.4

-45.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$18.15 R$92.4

31.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$17.85 R$90.8

45.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$21.83 R$111

-14.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$8.21 R$41.76

-50.18%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$315 COP 1.1M

$219 R$1,114

43.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$6,368 R$32.4K

-5.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$42.23 R$215

41.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$16.18 R$82.3

97.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$45.43 R$231

122.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$34.69 R$177

203.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$297 R$1,509

63.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$234 R$1,191

56.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$552 R$2,809

49.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$353 R$1,795

106.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,263 R$6,427

136.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$880 R$4,478

49.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$396 R$2,016

39.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Foz do Iguaçu: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $297 in Foz do Iguaçu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Foz do Iguaçu. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $171 in Foz do Iguaçu – so Foz do Iguaçu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Foz do Iguaçu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,028 in Medellin, $741 in Foz do Iguaçu – roughly 39% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,112 in Foz do Iguaçu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Foz do Iguaçu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $219 in Foz do Iguaçu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Foz do Iguaçu, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Foz do Iguaçu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $741 in Foz do Iguaçu to $1,028 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Foz do Iguaçu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.